rose: one month has passed since the massacre at sandy hook elementary school where a gunman fatally shot 20 children and six adults. the tragedy has reignited a debate about gun violence in america. today president obama announced new measures for improving gun control. >> this is our first task as a society: keeping our children safe. this is how we will be judged. and their voices should compel us to change and that's why last month i asked joe to lead an effort, along with members of my cabinet to come up with some concrete steps we can take right now to keep our children safe. to help prevent mass shootings. to reduce the broader epidemic of gun violence in this country. and we can't put this off any longer. >> rose: his 23 executive actions are being called the largest reform proposal on guns in a generation. he called for expanded background checks, a renewed ban on assault weapons and limits on high-capacity magazines. joining me now, joe scarborough, the host of msnbc's "morning joe" and a former congressman. michael scherer joins us from washington. he wrote this week's "ti